kennedy



Patented Apr, 25, |899.l

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 623,9H.

J. E. &. H. L. KENNEDY.

- GAS METER.

(Application filed Nov. 18, 1897.)

N Model.)

No. 623,9II. Patented Apr. 25, |899. J. E. H. L. KENNEDY.

vGAS METER.

(Application led Nov. 18, 1897.) {No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

TH: Nonms Evans co, Puomumo., wAsmNoToN. n. c.

No. 623,9". Patented Apr. 25, |899. J. E. & H. L. KENNEDY.

GAS METER.

(Application led Nov. 18, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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WITNESS/58.'

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NrTn STATES PATENT rrrcn.

.IOHN E. KENNEDY AND HARRY L. KENNEDY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA,ASSIGNORS TO THE KENNEDY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 623,911, dated April25, 1899. Application filed November 18, 1897. Serial No. 658,978. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that we, JOHN E. KENNEDY and HARRY L. KENNEDY, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGas'- Meters, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of our said invention is to improve the construction andarrangement of the mechanism of gas-meters and to provide means wherebysuch mechanism may be 1ocated upon the outside of the meter-body, whereit will be free from the deleterious effects of the gas.

A gas-meter embodying our said invention will be rst fully described andthe novel features thereof then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof andon which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate similarparts, Figure lis a front elevation of a gas-meter embodying our presentinvention; Fig.2,avertical sectional view thereof as seen when lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 2 2 inFig. l Fig. 3, a front elevation of the valvecontrolling and registeringmechanism and immediately adjacent parts on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4, atop plan of the portions shown in Fig. 3, the registering mechanismbeing broken away to show the valve-controlling mechanism more plainly;Fig. 5a central vertical sectional view as seen from the dotted line 5 5in Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a detail rear elevation of the connection between thevalve-controlling and the registering mechanisms as seen from the dottedline 6 6 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a perspective view of the vertical shaft andthe bell-crank lever thereon; Fig. 8, an interior view showingespecially the valves and passage-ways as seen when looking toward theleft from the dotted line S 8 in Fig. 2;Fig. 9, a horizontal sectionalView as seen when looking downwardly from the dotted line 9 9 in Fig. 8;Fig. 10, a similar View as seen from the dotted line l0 l0; Fig. 1l,aview similar to a portion of Fig. 9 on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 12 adetail sectional view on the dotted line 12 12in Fig. S.

The body B of the gas-meter is preferably, as is usual, composed ofmetal and divided into two chambers C O/ by means of a flexiblediaphragm D, secured therein in a substantially central position andhaving attached thereto on a portion of its surface a plate D, which isin turn rigidly mounted on a shaft S, which shaft is within a spaceprovided therefor in one of the chambers and the ends of which projectthrough stuffingbox bearings to the outside. There are the usual inletand outlet pipes A A to the meter, and the inlet-pipe A is adapted todischarge alternately into first one chamber and then the other,according to the position of the valves V, while the egress-pipe A isadapted to discharge alternatively from one chamber and the other,according to the position of said valves, the arrangement being suchthat one chamber is being filled while the other is being emptied, andin this respect our gasmeter is not dissimilar, except in details ofconstruction and arrangement by which the valve-openin gs are broughtinto convenient relation to our improved arrangement of valves, fromformer gas-meters.

The valves V are mounted on a cross-arm carried on' the lower end of arock-shaft l, which rock-shaft extends up through the Outer casing ofthe meter to the outside, where it bears upon its upper end a bell-cranklever 2. In order to effectually prevent the escape of gas around thisrock-shaft l, we have provided a peculiar bearing for said shaft. Thisbearing consists of a preferably cylindrical structure having suitablebearingpoints for the shaft, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, with itslower end enlarged somewhat and containing a small diaphragm d, which issecured to the rim thereof and also secured between collars on saidshaft. This diaphragm is thin and iexible and is large enough so that itwill not interfere with the slight rocking motion of the shaft, while atthe same time effectually preventing the escape of any gas around saidshaft.

The rearwardly-extending arm of the bellcrank lever 2 is connected bymeans of springs 3 3 to suitable points on a rocking frame 4, the pivotor'pivot-shaft 5 whereof is ldirectly IOO above the rock-shaft l, sothat the axial lines of said two shafts intersect. Thetransversely-extending arm of the bell-crank lever 2 has in turn avertical portion G, which extends up parallel with the axial line of theshaft l until it crosses one arm of the frame 4, and said extension hasan engaging point 7 at or near its upper end and substantially in thesame horizontal plane as the pivotshaft 5 of the frame et. Extending outfrom said pivot-shaft or from some other suitable point on or rigid withthe frame 4 is an arm 8, which extends into the path of the projection7.

The frame lis connected by means of a suitable link L with an arm S onthe rock-shaft S, which shaft is operated by the vibration of the maindiaphragm D within the meter by means of the plate D',mounted thereon,aswill be readilyunderstood, especially by an examina-tion of Fig. 5. Asbest shown in Fig. (i, the rocking frame t is connected by means of aslotted or bifurcated pitman P, straddling the scape-wheel shaft andcarrying suitable pushing and pulling engaging fingers 1) p', whichengage with the scape-wheel T of the ordinary clockwork-like registeringmechanism of the meter. rl`his clockworklike mechanism being of theusual and wellknown construction and arrangement and forming no part ofour present invention need not be further described herein.

The valves V, as above stated, are carried by a cross-bar V', which inturn is rigidly secured to the rock-shaft l. They are positioned insmall chambers near the side of and within the meter just below theregister-operating mechanism, which small chambers have two openings,one leading in each direction and communicating, respectively, with themain chambers of the meter, and which have rims surrounding them,forming valve-seats. These openings are adapted to be alternativelyopened and closed by said valves. As will be best understood by aninspection of Fig. l), the gas iiows through the pipe A into one of thechambers containing a valve V and thence into the chamber C or C,according to the position of said valve V. Vhen the valve is in theposition shown in Fig. 9, the ilow is around, by means of the by-path atthe same end of the meter, to the chamber G, and while said chamber C isfilling the chamber C is emptying through the valve at the other end ofthe meter, as will be readily understood. \Vhen the chamber C has beenfilled and the chamber C emptied, the registeroperatin g mechanism hasbeen shifted, as above described,and the valves shift position. The gaswill then flow directly from the small valve-chamber near the inner endof the pipe A into the chamber C, and the gas in the chamber C' willescape around by means of the by-path at the opposite end of the meterthrough the pipe AC The direction of iow of the gas is shown by longcurved arrows in Figs. S and 9.

The operation is as follows: rlhe fiow of gas pressing upon the maindiaphragm D operates the rock-shaft S, which through its arm S' and thelink L operates the rocking frame et. The bell-crank lever 2 and theshaft 1 are held from moving throughout the greater portion of themovement of the frame 4 by means of the engagement of the point 7 withthe arm 8. As said frame moves, however, the tensionv upon one of thesprings 3 increases, while the other decreases, and when the movementhas been completed the engaging point 7 escapes from the surface of thearm 8, and the springs being thus freed operate to suddenly rock theshaft l and lshift the valves, and thus close the ingress-opening to oneof the chambers in the meter, while opening the egress-opening thereto,at the same time opening the ingress-opening to the other chamber in`the meter and closing the egress-opening thereto. The chamber which,has just been filled then begins to empty, while the chamber which has just been emptied begins to fill, and the frame et is thereby given amovement in the other direction. The point 7 ascends on the oppositeside of the arm 8 from that upon which it has descended, and, as before,it is held in position until the ascent is completed, when it escapes,and the reverse of the operation just described takes place.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what we claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, in a gas-meter mechanism, of a rock-shaft having across-arm carrying the valves upon the lower end within a chamber of themeter, abell-crank lever upon the upper end of said shaft outside themeter, a rocking frame the aXis whereof is above and at right angleswith said rock-shaft, spring connections between therearwardly-extending arm of said bell-crank lever and suitable points atthe ends of said frame, an engaging point on an extension of saidbell-crank lever, and a detent-arm carried by and moving with said frameand extending into the path of said engaging point, whereby saidbellcrank lever is held in one position until the full movement of saidrocking frame is accomplished, whereupon it is permitted by the escapeof said engaging point and caused by the operationof said springs tosuddenly move and shift the position of the valves, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination, in a gas-meter, of the casing, a cylindricalstructure mounted in said casing and having suitable bearingpoints forthe rock-shaft 1, said rock-shaft mounted in said bearings to extendthrough said cylindrical structure from the inside to the outside of themeter, valves for controlling the flow of gas mounted on an arm carriedby its inner end, registering mechanism connected to its outer end, anda flexible diaphragm joined both to said shaft and to said cylindricalstructure by air-tight joints, substantially as set forth.

IOO

8. The combination, in a gas-meter, of the rock-shaft l, a cross-bar V'thereon, valves V on said cross-bar, duplicate passages leading into thetwo main chambers of the meter on the two sides of said Valves andprovided with suitable valve-seats, a bell-crank lever 2 on the upperend of the shaft l, a rocking frame 4 the pivot-point whereof is atright angles with the rock-shaft l, an arm 8 rigid with said frame 4, avertical portion 6 on said bellcrank lever having an engaging point 7into the path whereof. the arm 8 extends, springs 3 connecting therearwardly-extending arm of the bell-crank lever and with suitableprojections on the rocking frame 4, and a connection between saidrocking frame 4 and the rock-shaft of the diaphragm in the meter,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, in a gas-meter, of the two small valve-chamberswithin the body of the meter, a rock-shaft positioned between the saidvalve-chambers, a bar on said rockshaft carrying the valves, arock-shaft extending through the meter to its outside alongside thediaphragm, said diaphragm, a plate or arm rigidly secured to saidrock-shaft and attached across said diaphragm, whereby its vibrationswill rock said shaft, and connecting mechanism connecting the outsideend of said rock-shaft with the rock-shaft carrying p JOHN E. KENNEDY.HARRY L. KENNEDY.

lVitnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH.

